What do I do when time capsule says it's full?

Basically you have a decison to make about whether you want to keep all of your old backups on the Time Capsule and start new backups on a new Time Capsule (which Apple would prefer) or other hard drive.
or
Erase the Time Capsule that you have and start over again with new backups.
In theory, Time Machine is supposed to delete old backup automatically to make room for new backups, but this does not always work correctly, so you should probably not rely on this over the long term.

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My Time Capsule says it is full

My Time Capsule says it is full and cannot complete another backup. How do I delete files from Time Machine to allow room? Thanks!!

You can delete individual backups. See item 12 in the +Frequently Asked Questions+ post at the top of this forum for instructions.
This will not damage the integrity of the other backups; unless you delete them all, it will only delete copies of items that appear on no other remaining backups.
BUT, first find out what's gone wrong, because under ordinary circumstances, TM should delete your oldest backups automatically, when it needs room for new ones.
To find out just what's gone wrong, download the +Time Machine Buddy+ widget from: http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/status/timemachinebuddy.html. It shows the messages from your logs for one TM backup run at a time, in a small window. Copy and post the messages here (be sure to get them all, as sometimes they overflow the small window).
Also, answers to these questions may help:
Do you have other data on your Time Capsule, besides TM Backups?
Have you recently had any of the following: repairs to your Mac; a new internal HD; a full restore; gone more than about 10 days without a backup.

2TB airport extreme time capsule says it's 'full'?

I am unable to complete a time machine back up to a 2TB airport extreme time capsule because it is 'full' - what is going on? I thought time machine automatically deleted the oldest back up so there is always room? Also I don't understand how I could fill 2TB? Thanks!

That's what I thought too. Just tried again & I get "Backup Failed - there isn't enough space on airport". When I click on 'details' it suggests I "Select a larger backup disk or make the backup smaller by excluding files." Any suggestions?

HT3275 what do I do when time machine says: Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder?

I am trying to back up my imac using an external storage: My passport Studio 1TB. Each time it trys to back up Time machine says: Unable to complete back up. An error occurred while creating the backup folder. Does anyone know how I can fix this problem? Thanks

Plowie,
Do a search in Discussions, "An error occurred while creating the backup folder."
Many of us are having this problem and no fix has been offered, that I could find.
Unless you call "eject the external HDD; turn off; turn back on" a fix. That's what I have to do every 2 or 3 days; I even have to "force eject", with the concomitant warning message that you could lose data, etc.

My Time Capsule says it is full. It has duplicate info. I need to empty it and reload. I just switched to the new OS (ML) and cannot find how to do it in Airport Utilities. Help!

I need to strip out my time capsule and reload info from computer. It says it is full, but actually has duplicate info as I took all of my files out of an older computer and put them in the new one. It is 500GB, but I only have half of thayt on my computer. I want to start over. I downloaded instructions to do it with airport utility, but in the new OS there is just a picture of my time capsule and no way to get to "manual" to delete info and reinstall. Any help out there? Greatly appreciated, Craig

Using Mountain Lion, the AirPort Utility screen looks like this:
It will not stop "restarting". I think I need to pull the plug
This is an entirely different problem than you described in your intial post. Probably all you can do is pull the power, wait a minute and see if the Time Capsule will restart when you power it up again.

My time capsule says it only has 473.24 gb for my back up of 534gb. the only back up I can access when I enter the time machine was yesterdays so what has happened?

my time capsule says it only has 473.24 gb for my back up of 534gb. the only back up I can access when I enter the time machine was yesterdays so any idea what is happening? I have the latest irmware update.
Marmimag

There is an issue with latest Lion update.. it is killing TM.
https://discussions.apple.com/message/19858557#19858557
Otherwise check via the airport utility if there is something else using space on the hard disk.

My time capsule says it has only 75gb free space but when i go through finder to it there is nothing there. trash is empty by the way.

my time capsule says it has only 75gb free space but when i go through finder to it there is nothing there. trash is empty by the way. i had to delete some things of it as it didnt have enough room and i was backing up too much irrelevant stuff. now it wants to do a complete back up - about 300gb but there is only 75 free. WT

Ok first what u have to do is remove the Time Capsule from the time machine software and make sure the computer does not back up to the time machine. Next go into disk Utility and find the time capsule. Once found, reformat the drive. Then start using it. If you cannot find the drive in Disk Utility, then open a finder window and find the drive in the sidebar. Right click it and find a button within the drop down menu that will allow you to reformat the drive. If you are forced to go to finder and you right-click the drive, you may have to explore all the options within the drop down menu to find the reformat option.

My os is 10.8.4. Airport Utility is 6.3. When I try to pull backups, time capsule says: 'The folder "Pictures" can't be opened because you don't have permission to see its contents.'.

My os is 10.8.4. Airport Utility is 6.3. When I try to pull backups, time capsule says: 'The folder “Pictures” can’t be opened because you don’t have permission to see its contents.'. So I cannot use Time capsule to back up so what gives?

Did you use migration assistant when you set up the computer?
TM will treat this as a different computer and permissions issues can arise from that.
Pondini is the expert on that stuff.. hopefully he can drop in.
But I recommend you read all the FAQ to do with restore.. Q14-17.
And then look at the permissions issues he lists in troubleshooting.
E9 in particular. http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html

What does the message mean time capsule already in use when it refueses to backup?

What does the message mean time capsule already in use when it refueses to backup?

Just the network is cranky..
Simple first step.. restart the TC.. ie unplug the power cord.. count to 10.. plug it back in.
Second step if that fails.. restart the network.. off everything.. restart in order.. modem.. TC.. clients 2min gap.
Finally if you are prepared to fight you can load 5.6 utility onto Mountain Lion and do a disconnect all users.. or a few other ways.. turn off file sharing and turn it back on.
The issue being TM did not dismount the sparsebundle correctly.
C12 http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html
For more info.

Losing signal between WDS stations when Time Capsule backing up

I have the most odd problem and I can't figure it out.
Summary:
I have a WDS network set up using three Apple Airport routers. They work perfectly and internet signal and signal between routers is fine. However, as soon as Time Capsule begins to backup, the wifi signal between two other routers (also within this WDS network) slows to a crawl and essentially disabling me from getting to the internet. This ONLY happens when Time Capsule's internal hard drive is backing up with Time Machine.
*Device Details*
I have three Apple Airport routers:
a) Airport Extreme (the older space ship model that only runs on G or B)
b) Airport Express (the older model that runs only on G or B)
c) Time Capsule (the older model that runs a single G, B, or N network. No multiple networks)
This is how the WDS network is set up:
*dsl <==> Extreme (main) <-> Express (relay) <-> Time Capsule (remote) <-> laptop*
dsl modem is wired to the Extreme. Everything else is connected by wifi signal
Problem
This WDS network setup works and I do not have problems accessing the internet until my laptop (MacBook Air) activates Time Machines and backsup on the Time Capsule. As soon as that happens, the speed rate between the Extreme and Express drop dramatically. That's right! The speed rate between the Extreme and Express drops dramatically to a rate of 1Mbps (according to Airport Utility) rendering it impossible to access the internet using this network. Meanwhile, the Time Machine backup is going well at a very fast speed. The signal rate between Express and Time Capsule is normal.
Here is a schematic diagram of the connection that has problem (marked with XX) when the Time Capsule hard drive is running:
*dsl <==> Extreme (main) <XX> Express (relay) <-> Time Capsule (remote) <-> laptop*
I do not know why the speed rate between Extreme and Express would drop. Why should the hard drive of the Time Capsule be affecting the signal rate two routers down? It is not even directly connected to the connection between Extreme and Express.
Anyone have any idea what is going on? Is this an indication that my Time Capsule is dying? Or, that somehow the hard drive when working creates serious interference such that router signal is affected? If so, it is still odd that the router signal between Time Capsule and Express is not affected.
_*Actions Taken*_
I have spent many hours trying to solve this problem. Actions I have tried:
• disable wireless client access to all routers EXCEPT Time Capsule. I was thinking maybe somehow the MacBook Air was connecting to multiple routers when the backup was taking place.
• decrease signal strength of Extreme to 50%. I was thinking maybe the signal of the Extreme was somehow getting messed up with the signal of the Time Capsule and thus affecting the connection between Extreme and Express.
• set network to run as b/g compatible mode, and g only mode. Makes no difference. Connection between Extreme and Express goes down when Time Capsule hard drive is backing up
• change the name of the WDS network to something different. Makes no difference
• turn off MacBook Air wifi and directly connect it to Time Capsule by USB ethernet. When back up happens, there is apparently no interference and I can continue to use the internet. So somehow, backing using wifi from MacBook Air to Time Capsule is creating interference between the other two routers. Makes no sense, but it is what I observe.
• oh yeah, I've also hit the Time Capsule a few times and banged the Express a couple time in hopes that a little bit of thuggish threat would straighten up these two imbeciles. No go. They won't listen
Okay folks! IF you have gotten through this far in my message, you deserve a gold star and a membership in the Last Supper Club. Please help if you have any ideas what I should try besides throwing the Express and Extreme and replacing them with something that runs on N.
=======================
P.S. I should say that I've used this setup for over a year and never a problem until well, yesterday.
Message was edited by: Conal Ho

Here is another oddity, when my other laptop, a MacBook Pro 15" (first generation) activate Time Machine and backs up to the same Time Capsule, it DOES NOT lead to the degradation of wifi signal! I can still access the internet without problem.
Now I'm wondering if this is something about my MacBook Air.
Note that both machines are running 10.6.2. My 15" MBP is a first generation and so the highest wifi speed it does is G speed.

Time capsule says sparse bundle busy

Time capsule says "sparsebundle busy" and cannot backup

Already in use.. is that what you mean.. it is well known error. the most common here since Mountain Lion came out in all its glory.
Pull out the power cord from the TC.
Count to 10 (allows the caps to discharge)
Plug the power cord into the TC.
98% of the time the problem goes away.
Tell us if you are part of the select 2%.

What's the difference between time capsule and time machine?

What is the difference between time capsule and time machine?

See Using Time Machine with a Time Capsule.

What does it mean when Siri keeps saying "I can't help you right now, please come back later."?

What does it mean when Siri keeps saying, "I can't help you right now, please try again later."?

Pretty much what it says, SIri can't help you right now. I suspect it's a location, nework and/or server issue. Siri is currently Beta and doesn't always work.

I have two Macs that won't back up to time capsule, says The backup disk image "/Volumes/Data/Douglas Chalmers's iMac.sparsebundle" is already in use.

I have two Macs that won't back up to time capsule, says The backup disk image “/Volumes/Data/Douglas Chalmers’s iMac.sparsebundle” is already in use.

Please look over to the right of this page for the heading of More Like This.
There are multiple answers and solutions there.

I keep getting the message "The backup disk image "/Volumes/Donald Baker's Time Capsul/Donald Baker's iMac.sparsebundle" could not be accessed (error -1). does anyone know what this means? My time capsule refuses to back up.

I keep getting the message "The backup disk image “/Volumes/Donald Baker's Time Capsul/Donald Baker’s iMac.sparsebundle” could not be accessed (error -1). does anyone know what this means? My time capsule refuses to back up.

Time Capsule and Time Machine master guru Pondini has all the answers.
Check # C17 in his excellent support document Time Machine -- Troubleshooting.
http://Pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html

What do I do when time capsule says it's full?

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